More Than 70 Afghans Returning From Iran Die in Fiery Bus Crash

August 20, 2025
By Yaqoob Akbary, Elian Peltier and Safiullah Padshah

Yaqoob Akbary reported from Kabul, Afghanistan.

The New York Times

Aug. 20, 2025

More than 70 Afghans died in a bus accident in northern Afghanistan on Tuesday, local officials said, after the vehicle collided with a truck and a motorbike in Herat Province, on the border with Iran. It was one of countless buses that have been ferrying Afghan refugees expelled en masse from Iran this year.

Of the 78 people killed, 71 were bus passengers returning from Iran and 17 were children, Ahmadullah Muttaqi, a provincial communication official, said.

About 1.8 million Afghan nationals who lived in Iran for years, some for decades, have been expelled from Iran or forcibly returned to Afghanistan this year as Iranian officials have vowed to expel undocumented nationals.

The returning Afghans, many of whom fled after the Taliban retook power in Afghanistan in 2021, have come back to a changed country where most women can’t work, girls can’t go to school beyond sixth grade and more than half of the population of 41 million is in need of humanitarian assistance.

More than 1.2 million people have returned just since June, most of them dropped off at a border crossing in Herat Province. Shortly after its war with Israel in May, Iran began accusing Afghans of spying on behalf of Israel and ramped up mass expulsions.

Most of the deportations have followed the same pattern that has left countless Afghans confused and in a state of shock, according to two dozen returning Afghans and aid workers interviewed by New York Times journalists who visited the border last month.

In Iran, Afghans who have been arrested at home or at their workplace have been sent to deportation centers, where buses then drive them to the Afghan side of the border. Afterward, they have trudged their belongings to a transit center managed by the Afghan authorities and United Nations agencies.

Once they have registered as returnees and received a stipend, Afghans usually board buses commissioned by the Afghan government and bound for Herat, the province’s capital, or Kabul, 18 hours away.

It was a bus bound for Kabul that crashed Tuesday night. The treacherous two-lane road it used is regularly battered by sandstorms, making it hard to spot opposing traffic.

The victims’ bodies were transferred to Kabul on Wednesday.

Many returning Afghans arrive without jobs and often without a house awaiting them. In Kabul, landlords have been expelling tenants to make space for their returning relatives as housing prices soar.

Iran, as well as neighboring Pakistan, has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, many of them undocumented.

Humanitarian organizations and U.N. agencies have urged governments from both countries to return Afghans in a gradual and humane way, so far with little success. This month, Pakistan’s government announced that it, too, would begin the deportation of more than 1.3 million Afghan refugees living legally in Pakistan.

Elian Peltier is an international correspondent for The Times, covering Afghanistan and Pakistan.

More Than 70 Afghans Returning From Iran Die in Fiery Bus Crash
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Drought, dams and diplomacy: Afghanistan’s water crisis goes regional

August 20, 2025
France 24/AFP

But as Taliban authorities swept to power and tightened their grip on the country, they have pushed for Afghanistan’s water sovereignty, launching infrastructure projects to harness precious resources in the arid territory.

Dams and canals have sparked tensions with neighbouring states, testing the Taliban authorities’ efforts to build strong regional ties, as they remain largely isolated on the global stage since their 2021 takeover.

At the same time, the region is facing the shared impacts of climate change intensifying water scarcity, as temperatures rise and precipitation patterns shift, threatening glaciers and snowpack that feed the country’s rivers.

Here are key points about Afghanistan’s transboundary water challenges:

– Central Asian states to the north –

Afghanistan is emerging as a new player in often fraught negotiations on the use of the Amu Darya, one of two key rivers crucial for crops in water-stressed Central Asia, where water sharing relies on fragile accords since Soviet times.

Central Asian states have expressed concern over the Qosh Tepa mega canal project that could divert up to 21 percent of the Amu Darya’s total flow to irrigate 560,000 hectares of land across Afghanistan’s arid north, and further deplete the Aral Sea.

Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are likely to face the biggest impact, both joined by Kazakhstan in voicing alarm, even as they deepen diplomatic ties with the Taliban authorities — officially recognised so far by only Russia.

“No matter how friendly the tone is now,” water governance expert Mohd Faizee warned, “at some point there will be consequences for Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan when the canal starts operating”.

Taliban officials have denied that the project will have a major impact on the Amu Darya’s water levels and pledged it will improve food security in a country heavily dependent on climate-vulnerable agriculture and facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

“There is an abundance of water, especially when the Amu Darya floods and glacial meltwater flows into it” in the warmer months, said project manager Sayed Zabihullah Miri, during a visit to the canal works in Faryab province, where diggers carved into a drought-ridden plain dotted with camels and locusts.

– Iran to the west –

Iran is the only country with which Afghanistan has a formal water sharing treaty, agreed in 1973 over the Helmand river, which traverses Taliban heartland territory, but the accord was never fully implemented.

Longstanding tensions over the river’s resources have spiked over dams in southern Afghanistan, particularly in periods of drought, which are likely to increase as climate shocks hit the region’s water cycle.

Iran, facing pressure in its parched southeastern region, has repeatedly demanded that Afghanistan respect its rights, charging that upstream dams restrict the Helmand’s flow into a border lake.

The Taliban authorities insist there is not enough water to release more to Iran, blaming the impact of climate pressures on the whole region.

They also argue long-term poor water management has meant Afghanistan has not gotten its full share, according to an Afghanistan Analysts Network report by water resources management expert Assem Mayar.

Iran and Afghanistan have no formal agreement over their other shared river basin, the Harirud, which also flows into Turkmenistan and is often combined into a single basin with the Morghab river.

While infrastructure exists on the Afghan portions of the basin, some has not been fully utilised, Faizee said.

But that could change, he added, as the end of conflict in Afghanistan means infrastructure works don’t incur vast security costs on top of construction budgets, lifting a barrier to development of projects such as the Pashdan dam inaugurated in August on the Harirud.

– Pakistan to the east –

Water resources have not topped the agenda in consistently fraught relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Afghanistan’s Kabul river basin, which encompasses tributaries to the greater Indus basin and feeds the capital and largest city, is shared with Pakistan.

The countries, however, have no formal cooperation mechanism.

With the Afghan capital wracked by a severe water crisis, the Taliban authorities have sought to revitalise old projects and start new ones to tackle the problem, risking fresh tensions with Pakistan.

But the lack of funds and technical capacity means the Taliban authorities’ large water infrastructure projects across the country could take many years to come to fruition — time that could be good for diplomacy, but bad for ordinary Afghans.

Drought, dams and diplomacy: Afghanistan’s water crisis goes regional
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US military vets are helping Afghans fight deportation

August 20, 2025

Author,Regan Morris
BBC News in San Diego, California
20 August 2025

As a journalist in Afghanistan, Abdul says he helped promote American values like democracy and freedom. That work, he said, resulted in him being tortured by the Taliban after the US withdrew from the country in 2021.

Now he’s in California applying for political asylum, amid the looming threat of deportation.

“We trusted those values,” he said. “We came here for safety, and we don’t have it, unfortunately.”

But when Abdul walked into a San Diego court to plead his case, he wasn’t alone.

Ten veterans showed up for his hearing – unarmed, but dressed in hats and shirts to signify their military credentials as a “show of force”, said Shawn VanDiver, a US Navy vet who founded ‘Battle Buddies’ to support Afghan refugees facing deportation.

“Masked agents of the federal government are snatching up our friends, people who took life in our name and have done nothing wrong,” he said.

Approximately 200,000 Afghans relocated to the US after Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021, as the US left the country in chaos after two decades fighting the war on terror.

Many say they quickly felt embraced by Americans, who recognised the sacrifices they had made to help the US military and fight for human rights.

But since the Trump administration has terminated many of the programmes which protected them from deportation, Afghans now fear they will be deported and returned to their home country, which is now controlled by the Taliban.

Mr VanDiver, who also founded #AfghanEvac in 2021 to help allies escape the Taliban when the US withdrew, said US military veterans owe it to their wartime allies to try and protect them from being swept up in President Trump’s immigration raids.

“This is wrong.”

The Battle Buddies say they have a moral and legal obligation to stand and support Afghans. They now have more than 900 veteran volunteers across the country.

Many of the federal agents working for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security are veterans themselves, he said, and the Battle Buddies think their presence alone might help deter agents from detaining a wartime ally.

“Remember, don’t fight ICE,” Mr VanDiver told his fellow Battle Buddies outside court before Abdul’s hearing, referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE.

“If somebody does fight ICE, capture it on video. Those are the two rules.”

As Abdul and his lawyer went into court, the veterans stood in the corridor outside in a quiet and tense faceoff with half a dozen masked federal agents. It was the same hallway where an Afghan man, Sayed Naser, a translator who says he worked for the US military, was detained 12 June.

“This individual was an important part of our Company commitment to provide the best possible service for our clients, who were the United States Military in Afghanistan,” says one employment document submitted as part of Naser’s asylum application and reviewed by the BBC’s news partner in the US, CBS News.

“I have all the documents,” Mr Naser told the agents as he was handcuffed and taken away, which a bystander captured on video. “I worked with the US military. Just tell them.”

Mr Naser has been in detention since that day, fighting for political asylum from behind bars.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the BBC that there is nothing in his immigration records “indicating that he assisted the US government in any capacity”.

Whichever way Mr Naser’s case is decided, his detention is what inspired veterans to form the Battle Buddies. They say abandoning their wartime allies will hurt US national security because the US will struggle to recruit allies in the future.

“It’s short sighted to think we can do this and not lose our credibility,” said Monique Labarre, a US Army veteran who showed up for Abdul’s hearing. “These
President Trump has repeatedly blamed President Biden for a “disgraceful” and “humiliating” retreat from the country.

But the US’s withdrawal from Afghanistan was initially brokered by President Trump during his first term.

In their wake, American troops left behind a power vacuum that was swiftly and easily filled by the Taliban, who took control of the capital city, Kabul, in August 2021. Afghans, many who worked with the US military and NGOs, frantically swarmed the airport, desperate to get on flights along with thousands of US citizens.

Over the ensuing years, almost 200,000 Afghans would relocate to the US – some under special programmes designed for those most at risk of Taliban retribution.

The Trump administration has since ended one of them called Operation Enduring Welcome. It also ended the temporary protections which shielded some Afghans, as well as asylum seekers from several other countries, from deportation because of security concerns back home.

“Afghanistan has had an improved security situation, and its stabilising economy no longer prevent them from returning to their home country,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement about terminating Temporary Protected Status for Afghans.

She added that some Afghans brought in under these programmes “have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security”.

Afghans in the United States scoff at the suggestion that they’d be safe going back, saying their lives would be in danger.

“I couldn’t work,” said Sofia, an Afghan woman living in Virginia. “My daughters couldn’t go to school.”

With the removal of temporary protected status, the Trump administration could deport people back to Afghanistan. Although that is so far rare, some Afghans have already begun to be deported to third countries, including Panama and Costa Rica.

Sofia and other members of her family were among the thousands of Afghans who received emails in April from the Department of Homeland Security saying: “It is time for you to leave the United States.”

The email, which was sent to people with a variety of different kinds of visas, said their parole would expire in 7 days.

Sofia panicked. Where would she go? She did not leave the United States, and her asylum case is still pending. But the letter sent shockwaves of fear throughout the Afghan community.

When asked about protecting Afghan wartime allies on 30 July, President Trump said: “We know the good ones and we know the ones that maybe aren’t so good, you know some came over that aren’t so good. And we’re going to take care of those people – the ones that did a job.”

Advocates have urged the Trump administration to restore temporary protected status for Afghans, saying women and children could face particular harm under the Taliban-led government.

Advocates are hopeful that Naser will soon be released. They say he passed a “credible fear” screening while in detention, which can allow him to pursue political asylum because he fears persecution or torture if returned to Afghanistan.

The Battle Buddies say they plan to keep showing up for wartime allies at court. It’s not clear if their presence made a difference at Abdul’s hearing – but he wasn’t detained and is now a step closer to the political asylum he says he was promised.

“It’s a relief,” he said outside court while thanking the US veterans for standing with him. But he said he still fears being detained by ICE, and he worries that the US values he believed in, and was tortured for, might be eroded.

“In Afghanistan, we were scared of the Taliban,” he said. “We have the same feeling here from ICE detention.”

US military vets are helping Afghans fight deportation
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China FM in Afghanistan, offers to deepen cooperation with Taliban rulers

August 20, 2025
Al Jazeera
Published On 20 Aug 2025

Mining, Belt and Road participation feature in trilateral meetings between China, Afghanistan and Pakistan in Kabul.

China wants to explore mining in Afghanistan and have Kabul formally join its Belt and Road Initiative, a massive infrastructure plan, which is a central pillar of President Xi Jinping’s bid to expand his country’s global influence, the Afghan Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is visiting Kabul and held talks with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that both countries wanted to deepen ties in a number of areas.

Beijing will continue to support the Afghan government to achieve long-term peace and stability, Wang told Muttaqi, according to a readout of the meeting released by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China is willing to deepen political mutual trust with Afghanistan and step up cooperation in areas including trade and agriculture, Wang said.

He called on Afghanistan to combat armed groups, adding that tighter security ties would provide a guarantee to bilateral economic cooperation.

“Mr Wang Yi also mentioned that China intends to initiate practical mining activities this year,” the Afghan statement said.

Wang also met Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, according to Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson of the administration.

“China has cooperated not only with Afghanistan but also with other countries around the world in their development, and it has played a constructive role,” Akhund told Wang, urging Beijing to continue its “efforts and cooperation on the international stage in support of Afghanistan’s legitimate position”.

“We fully support the Afghan people in their progress,” he said, according to Fitrat.

Wang is in Kabul for trilateral meetings between China, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Neither Beijing nor Islamabad formally recognise the interim administration, but both nations have posted their ambassadors in Kabul and have received Afghan envoys in their capitals.

China was the first country to appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan under the Taliban and has sought to develop its ties with the hardline group that took control of the war-torn country in 2021.

The impoverished country, rich in lithium, copper and iron deposits, could offer a wealth of mineral resources to boost Beijing’s supply chain security, analysts say.

China FM in Afghanistan, offers to deepen cooperation with Taliban rulers
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Chinese and Pakistani Foreign Ministers Arrive in Kabul for Trilateral Talks

August 20, 2025
By Fidel Rahmati
Khaama Press

Chinese and Pakistani foreign ministers arrived in Kabul for trilateral talks with Taliban officials, focusing on security, economic cooperation, and political dialogue to shape Afghanistan’s regional role.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar arrived in Kabul on Wednesday to participate in a trilateral dialogue with the Taliban authorities. The visit signals a renewed effort by regional powers to engage Afghanistan under Taliban control and address pressing concerns.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Dar was accompanied by Muhammad Sadiq, Islamabad’s special envoy to Kabul, underscoring Pakistan’s active role in shaping Afghanistan’s post-withdrawal diplomatic landscape. Their arrival reflects Islamabad’s intent to balance security cooperation with economic and political dialogue involving its war-torn neighbor.

China’s Wang Yi separately met Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi soon after his arrival in Kabul. The two sides reportedly discussed bilateral matters, with particular focus on regional security, economic cooperation, and Beijing’s growing interest in Afghanistan’s infrastructure and resource development projects.

The trilateral meeting between China, Pakistan, and the Taliban is expected to focus on a broad agenda, ranging from counterterrorism and border management to investment opportunities and trade corridors. The talks also reflect Beijing’s and Islamabad’s willingness to engage directly with Taliban officials despite the group’s lack of international recognition.

Reports suggest Wang Yi will also meet other senior Taliban leaders during his visit. These discussions are likely to build on the first round of trilateral talks that was held earlier this year in Beijing, where all three sides committed to closer security and economic coordination.

Observers note that the renewed dialogue highlights how regional powers are filling the diplomatic vacuum in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal. While Western nations remain reluctant to formally engage, China and Pakistan are stepping in to protect their own strategic and security interests.

Chinese and Pakistani Foreign Ministers Arrive in Kabul for Trilateral Talks
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Afghanistan War Commission: Dependence, Corruption, Delayed Talks Weakened U.S. Mission

August 20, 2025
Khaama Press

A U.S. Congressional report says strategic failures; dependence, corruption, and delayed peace talks, undermined Afghanistan’s institutions, leading to the Taliban’s rapid takeover after America’s withdrawal.

On the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, the U.S. Congressional Afghanistan War Commission released its second report, concluding that America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan failed due to deep strategic miscalculations rather than battlefield tactics.

The independent body, established by Congress in 2021, found that despite Washington’s stated aim of fostering Afghanistan self-reliance, the country’s institutions remained dangerously dependent on U.S. military, financial, and technical support. Parallel systems led by American contractors and agencies bypassed Afghan officials, undermining sovereignty and entrenching fragility.

The report stresses that Afghanistan security forces, reliant on U.S. logistics and technology, were unable to operate independently. As U.S. aid declined after the Doha peace talks, their capacity collapsed, paving the way for the Taliban’s swift takeover. Negotiations with the group, the commission argues, began too late—after the U.S. had already lost crucial leverage.

It also points to Washington’s shifting and often contradictory policies. A mission that began as a counterterrorism campaign quickly transformed into state-building, but without coherent strategy. Conflicting priorities among the Pentagon, State Department, and USAID, compounded by corruption, disputed elections, and lack of political consensus in Kabul, left the Afghanistan government brittle and mistrusted.

The report highlights Pakistan’s “double game”: while providing U.S. forces with vital transit routes and cooperating against al-Qaeda, it simultaneously allowed Taliban sanctuaries, undermining international counterterrorism efforts and prolonging the conflict.

Testimonies from Afghanistan citizens and U.S. officials reveal that early optimism eroded into deep disillusionment. Civilian casualties, corruption, and disregard for Afghanistan’s political and cultural complexities—such as national identity, Islam’s role in politics, and local governance, further fueled instability.

Four years after the U.S. withdrawal, Afghanistan has once again become a haven for extremist groups. U.N. experts warn that ISIS-K now poses a growing threat to the U.S. and Europe, while al-Qaeda—long allied with the Taliban, is rebuilding.

The commission concludes that the war’s failure had no single cause but stemmed from a convergence of strategic errors. Analysts caution that unless these lessons are absorbed, future U.S. interventions risk repeating the same costly mistakes.

Afghanistan War Commission: Dependence, Corruption, Delayed Talks Weakened U.S. Mission
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Afghans Mark Independence Day, Call for Freedom and Progress

August 20, 2025
TOLOnews
TV Network
20 Aug 2025

On the occasion of Independence Day, people say that freedom must be safeguarded and the country’s progress prioritized.

As Afghanistan marks the 106th anniversary of its regained independence, many citizens share diverse views about the significance of this day.

On the occasion of Independence Day, people say that freedom must be safeguarded and the country’s progress prioritized.

Some note that this day is not only a reminder of a historic event, but also a call to serve the people and shoulder a great responsibility.

Ajab Gul, a Kabul resident, said: “The 28th of Asad is the day of independence and freedom. It was achieved during King Amanullah Khan’s era and through the struggles of the Mujahideen against a superpower and its domination. King Amanullah himself was a progressive and knowledge-seeking figure.”

Another citizen, Haji Rais, added: “Amanullah Khan gained independence. The ideas and plans he had for a developed society included opening the doors of education to the people. Today, our request from the Islamic Emirate is that, in accordance with Sharia, the doors of education should also be opened for both girls and boys.”

Others stressed the importance of efforts in economic, educational, and social sectors on this occasion.

They believe independence finds its true meaning when Afghanistan achieves self-sufficiency, social prosperity, and educational growth, reaching the heights of success among neighboring and regional countries.

Zalmai, another Kabul resident, said: “Independence means freedom of work and employment, having jobs and livelihoods, and no division among us. It means security. True independence is when we build relations both with the world and among our own people, and when citizens are content.”

Mirwais-ud-Din, another Kabul resident, said: “We and Japan regained independence at the same time, but look where they have reached. They even made it to Mars, while because of wars we were deprived of the right to education.”

The 28th of (Asad, solar month) is not only a historic day but also a symbol of people’s will, national identity, and unity. Yet many citizens now believe that this achievement can only be preserved through the unity, progress, and practical efforts of the new generation.

Afghans Mark Independence Day, Call for Freedom and Progress
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106th Anniversary of Afghan Independence Commemorated in Kabul

August 20, 2025
Bibi Amina Hakimi
TOLOnews’ Reporter
19 Aug 2025
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, stressed internal unity and avoiding divisions.

In a ceremony marking the 106th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence from British colonial rule, senior officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan gathered to commemorate this historic day.

During the event, Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Minister of Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, emphasized in his speech that independence is not only about achieving freedom but also about maintaining it, which requires the joint efforts of the people.

He said: “One part is achieving freedom and independence, and the other is preserving it. In the past century, we have reclaimed our freedom and independence three times from those who forcibly entered and occupied Afghanistan.”

Fasihuddin Fitrat, the Chief of Army Staff of the Ministry of Defense, also stated at the ceremony: “Perhaps in previous years independence was celebrated, but at that time, the Afghan nation lived under occupation. Praise be to Allah, this is the fourth year that we are celebrating the restoration and independence of our country while it is completely free.”

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, stressed internal unity and avoiding divisions, noting that independence was achieved through great sacrifices but was not preserved due to internal conflicts.

He said: “Unfortunately, due to civil wars, divisions, and conspiracies, Afghans were unable to preserve this independence. We gradually lost our resources and became internally fragmented, eventually leading to colonial domination by other powers.”

Din Mohammad Hanif, the Minister of Economy, stated: “If we have a strong government and national unity, foreigners will never be able to infiltrate. But if, God forbid, we have a weak government and lack unity and solidarity, then foreigners will exploit our weaknesses and pave the way for another invasion.”

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, also emphasized the independence of Afghanistan’s foreign policy and highlighted the importance of strengthening the Islamic Emirate’s security forces.

He said: “We will maintain an independent policy, and our security forces must be strengthened, equipped, and supported so they can safeguard this revolution.”

Abdul Haq Wasiq, the General Director of Intelligence, said: “This victory must be preserved to prevent Afghanistan from facing problems. Occupiers and their collaborators should not think they can impose their will on Afghanistan.”

It is noteworthy that in the past, this day was commemorated with public marches in the city, but the current celebrations lack the vibrancy of earlier years.

106th Anniversary of Afghan Independence Commemorated in Kabul
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Cyber-attack on MoD-linked contractor exposes data of Afghans in resettlement scheme

August 19, 2025
 and agencies

A contractor linked to the UK Ministry of Defence has been hit by a cyber-attack, exposing personal data linked to Afghan resettlement efforts. It is the latest in a series of breaches involving the private information of Afghan refugees.

The breach at Inflite The Jet Centre Ltd, a company that provides ground services for flights linked to the UK’s defence ministry and the Cabinet Office, has exposed the personal data of up to 3,700 people, including Afghans seeking refuge as part of the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.

All the individuals affected by the breach flew into London Stansted airport between January and March 2024.

The leak may have also released the information of civil servants, soldiers on routine exercises and journalists.

In a statement on its website, Inflite The Jet Centre Ltd confirmed that a data breach had occurred involving “access to a limited number of company emails”.

The company said the incident had been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office, and that it was working with the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre on its investigation.

“We believe the scope of the incident was limited to email accounts only, however, as a precautionary measure, we have contacted our key stakeholders whose data may have been affected during the period of January to March 2024”, the statement said.

It isn’t yet clear who carried out the cyber-attack on the company’s databases but a message was sent to the affected people warning them of the breach.

A government spokesperson said: “We were recently notified that a third-party sub-contractor to a supplier experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorised access to a small number of its emails that contained basic personal information.

“We take data security extremely seriously and are going above and beyond our legal duties in informing all potentially affected individuals.

“The incident has not posed any threat to individuals’ safety, nor compromised any government systems.”

The data is not believed to have been leaked to the dark web or made public.

In February 2022, a separate breach by a defence official disclosed the personal data of 18,714 Afghans who had worked with British forces. The UK high court granted a superinjunction to the Conservative government in 2023 to suppress information related to the breach, for which the Labour defence secretary, John Healey, later issued an apology.

Cyber-attack on MoD-linked contractor exposes data of Afghans in resettlement scheme
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U.S. Issues Travel Warning for Citizens on Afghanistan

August 19, 2025
Khaama Press

The U.S. State Department has strongly advised citizens against traveling to Afghanistan, citing a heightened risk of arbitrary detention.

The U.S. Department of State has issued a strong advisory urging American citizens to avoid traveling to Afghanistan, citing heightened risks to their safety and security.

In a statement released on Tuesday, August 19, the Consular Section of the State Department emphasized that travelers should remain aware of the dangers and make informed decisions before considering any trip to the country.

The advisory explained that Washington uses a “Risk Indicator D” to identify countries where U.S. citizens face a high threat of unlawful or arbitrary detention. Afghanistan, it said, ranks at the top of this list due to its severe risks.

Alongside Afghanistan, the warning also applies to several other countries, including Burma, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela, where similar risks of detention and harassment exist.

This latest warning follows earlier incidents in which Taliban authorities detained American citizens who had traveled to Afghanistan, adding to Washington’s concerns over the safety of its nationals in the country.

By placing Afghanistan at the top of its risk list, the U.S. government has reinforced its call for citizens to reconsider any plans to travel there. The advisory reflects the broader U.S. policy of caution regarding travel to regions marked by instability, authoritarian rule, and threats to foreign nationals.

U.S. Issues Travel Warning for Citizens on Afghanistan
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